Union govt to consider enquiry into ‘Havana Syndrome’

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka has given three months to the Union Government to consider the plea of a Bengaluru man to conduct an enquiry on the presence of ‘Havana Syndrome’ in India.

A Amarnath Chagu, a resident of Bengaluru had approached the High Court in 2021 with a prayer to “Issue a writ of Mandamus to respondents to conduct an enquiry on this Havana Syndrome in our country and to prevent any such high frequency microwave radiations traveling inside the territory of India.”

The Department of Telecommunications, Union of India is the respondent in the case. Chagu’s counsel argued before Justice Krishna S Dixit that “whatever be the grievance made out in the representation, the authorities are bound to consider the same in accordance with law since that is the mandate under Article 350 of the Constitution of India.”

The Central Government counsel Aditya Singh opposed the petition contending that the question of considering the representation would arise if right to consideration is demonstrated, and not otherwise.

However, Singh agreed to instruct his client to look into the grievance of petitioner as has been aired in the subject representation in accordance with law and in a time bound way,” which the HC said was “appreciable.”

In its July 27 judgement, while keeping all contentions open, the HC disposed of the petition saying “Time for consideration is three months.” (WP 22221/2021)